Governing mechanism



March 21, 1933. A, B REM/ls Ef AL 15902,?,11

` GOYERNING MECHANISM- Filed May 24, 1929 FROM SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE ATTORNEY in the desired direction.

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED sTAxries ANDREW B. JaEAvIs,v or svvAR'rHivi'oan1V AND RUDOLPH J.V Eismann., or ivroonns, :PENN- sYLvANIA, AssIGNoRs To WESTLNCnoUsn ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COM- M PANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA i GOVERNING MECHANISM Appiication inea May 24, 192e. seria1`NoLe65,6s5;

. @ur invention relates to a control mecha,- nism, more particularly to a control mechanism for a marine propulsion arrangementV of the character'set forth in `the application of W; B, Flanders, Serial No. 305,504, filed September. 12, 1928, embodying a reciprocating engine exhausting to a low-pressure turbine, the latter having ahead and astern sections and also means for admitting Vhighpressure motive fluid to thel Vturbine tor thereof. It isan object of our invention to pro vide a control mechanism for a reversible prime mover, which control mechanism is responsive to the direction of rotation of the prime mover, and which admits motive fluid to obtain a predetermined speed of rotation A moreA specific object of our invention is to provide a control mechanism for the above mentioned marine propulsion arrangement,

which automatically admits high-pressure motive fluidtothe proper section of Ythe turbine When the reversing mechanism of the reciprocating engine is opeiatechand which continues to admit such motive fluid until a predetermined speed is attained in the direc tion for ivvhich'the reversi-ng mechanism is set.

In accordance With our invention we provide a gear pump VWhich ,discharges fluid under pressure through one outlet When the turbine is operating in ahead directionand through ak second outlet when the turbine is operatingin asterndirection. lVhen'the reversing mechanism is set for operation .in a given direction, the propersection of turbine is placed under control of the ifiuid pressure from the corresponding outlet of the pump, and motive fluid is thus admitted to said section until theturbine is operat ing at a predetermined speedin the desired direction. v Y

The above and other objects are effected by our invention, asv Will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection With the accompanying'dratw ing, forming a-part of this application, in

which :'r

and astern sections 2O and 21. Y

are arranged in the lbranches 23 and 24, respectively, and 4such the reversingfmecha# nism 33 of the reciprocating yengine through PATENT oFQicE Fig. l isa diagrammatic view of apovfer Y plant havingour novel control mechanism applied thereto; i

`Fig.2.isla detail view of the pilot valve of they .control mechanism positionedfor ahead operation; and

Fig. 3isa similar' vievv showing the pilot valve positioned for asternIoperation.-

eferring novv to the drawing morein ldetail, we shoW'a multipleA expansion Vrecipro-4 cating engine 10, -drivinga propeller shaft 11, having apropeller 12 connected theretlca igh pressure steamr from any suitable source, suchas boilers (not shown),"isvsup plied through a'conduit 7. `Ai conduit 8, con necting therewith, passes i soi inlet of the reciprocatingengine, andfinterposed in the conduitfS isathrottle'jvalve 9` for controlling the supply ofsteainto the reciprocating engine. p 'f f l' .Steam Vexhaustedfrom theei'i'gine 10 V is supplied by a suitable conduit 13 Ito a lovv pressure turbine '14."

latterentering the casing 17 of ,a suitablev u After energy 'is stracted from the-steam by the turbine/14, it'

reductiongear and being connected to a piniV l ion 18` meshing With the gear 19 carried by the shaft 11. Theturbine'qlll includes an ahead section 20 and anastern'sectionj21' v of operation to secure ahead or ast'ern soV that the turbine is capable in either direction propulsion:H v l The exhaust conduit13 from the reciprocating engine is connected to branches 23 and 24 leading, respectively, to the aheadiand astern turbine Vsections 20 and 21. -A high pressure steam line 25,- communicating with:

the conduit `7, is provided with branches 26 and 27'` leading, respectively,

Valves 41 and- 41" valves are operated by to the forwardv sin* interconnecting mechanism indicated gener#V ally at 32." The/interconnecting mechanism` ico s which has a lever 34 for this purpose.

duit 44, has an adjustable restrictedoriiice 54 The mechanism 32 further includes, for example, bell crank levers 92 and 92 connected to the rod 87 and also to links 91 and 91', respectively, said links being connected to crank arms 42 and 42with which the valves 41 and 41 are provided. Y

The admission of high pressure steam to the sections 2O and 421 through the Vbranch conduits control mechanism, which is shown as of the fluid pressure type.

To obtain a governinojfiuid pressure which will control the admission of high-pressure steam to the turbine 14 until the turbine has attained the desired speed in the desired direction, a gear pump 43 is provided, said pump being driven by the turbine 14 in any suitable manner, at a speed proportional to y the speed of the turbine, and in a direction determined by the direction of rotation of the turbine shaft. The gear pump is so arranged that when theturbineV is rotating in ahead direction, fluid under pressure is transmitted to a conduit'44, andwhen the turbine is operating inv astern direction, the pump passes fluid under pressure vto a conduit 45.

A reservoir 46 contains a body of any suitable liquid, preferably lubricating oil, and a conduit 47 communicates with the bottom thereof. Y The conduit 47 communicates with the conduits 44 and 45, at points near the gear pump 43, 48 and 49, respectively. Check valves 51 and 52 are provided in the branches 48 Vand 49,

respectively, therebyV permitting c the gear pump to draw liquid from .the reservoir 46, but preventing the loss of huid pressure thereto.l f Y Y A conduit 53, communicating with the contherein, and a conduit 55, communicating with the conduit 45, stricted orifice 56 therein. The conduit 53 communicates with the conduit beyond the orifices, and the conduit 55 communicates with the reservoir 46. Theorifices 54 and 56 permit the escape of excess liquid to the reservoir 46, imposing a pressure on the liquid, however, which is a function of the speed of the gear pump 43. It will thus be seen that, when the-turbine14 is operating in ahead vides a fluid pressure in the conduit 44 which is a function of its speed, and when the turbine is operating in astern direction, the gear pump provides a fluid pressure in the conduit 45 which is a function of its speed.

VvThe supply of high pressure vsteam to the ahead section is controlledby a valve 61 interposed in the conduit 26, and the supply of high pressure steamto the astern section is controlled by a valve 62 interposed in the conduit 27 The valve 61 is actuated by a piston 63 operating in a cylinder 64. A

26 and 27 is controlled by'ou'r novelthrough the branch conduits has an adjustable Are-Y direction,` the -gear pump 43 pro-,

spring 65 biases the piston 63 to open the valve 61.

The valve 62 is operated by a similar piston 66 operating in a cylinder 67 and also biased to open the valve by a spring 68. Afconduit 69 communicates with the cylinder 64 for supplying actuating iiuid thereto, and a con- .duit 71 communicates with the cylinder 67 for the same purpose.

The supply of fluid pressure from the conduits 44 and 45 to the cylinders 64 and 67 for operating the valves 61 and 62, respectively, is controlled by a pilot valve 72, which, in turn, is actuated by the reversing mechanism 33 of the reciprocating engine 10 through the rod 87, a bell crank lever 88,'and a link 89. The pilot valve 72 has piston portions 73, 74, 75 and 76, and operates in acylindrical valve casing 77. The pilot valve 72 isshown in Fig. 1 in the position. corresponding Vto neutral position AVof. the reversing Imechanism 33. Y

The conduits 71 and 69 communicate with the casing 77 at points intermediate the pis, ton portions 74 and 7 5, but adjacent to these piston portions,"respectively.. The conduits 45 and 44 communicate with the valve casing 77 at points which are always in communication with the space between the piston portions 73 and 74 and between the piston portions 75 and 76, respectively. A conduit 78, which Vfurnishes liquid pressure of a value suiiicient to close either of the valves 61 and 62, communicates with thev casing 77 at a central point, and is always in communication with the space between the piston portions74 and 75. v f

A throttle valve 81 is preferably interposed in the conduit 25between the conduit 7 andthe branch conduits; 26 and 27. This valve is actuated by a piston 82 operating in a cylinder 83. The piston 82 is biased in a direction to close the valve 81 byy avspring 84, and th-evconduit 78 communicates at the lower end of the cylinder 83, admitting iiuid ioo pressure thereto in a direction to open the rod 87 is at the right-hand end of its travel.

The link 91 is at the lower end ofV its travel and the links 91 and 89v are at the upper ends of their travel, the link 91 maintaining the valve 41 in openpositionto permit thc exhaust steam from the engine 10 to pass to the ahead section 20 of the turbine, andthe 'rod 91L maintaining the valve 4lin closed In normal ahead operation, therefore, only` exhaust steam from the reciprocating engineV is admitted tothe turbine and, therefore, the

most economical operation `of theapparatus4 is obtained.

SupposeV noW that it isv desired to reverse the Vdirection of operation. vThe throttle valve 9 is closed to shut ott' the supply ot steam to the reciprocating engine. Thereversing mechanism 33 is actuated by means .of the lever34 to aetern position, the rod v87 being moved to the 89being moved to link 91 .to uppermostposition.V The throttle valve 9 is again opened.V llhe valve 41 'closes communication With the ahead section and the exhaust steam from the engine is passed to the astern section through the branch c-onduit 24.

The p-ilot valve 72 is also moved bythe link 89 to lovrerinost position, as shown in Fig. 3, the piston portion 7 4 being disposed between the ports communicating with the.

V conduits 71 and 7 8. The conduits 78 and 69 f: sure in the latterconduit.

communicate through the space between thel piston portions 74 and 75,

andv fluid pressure from the condiut 78 is, therefore, communicated to the piston 63 to `retain'the valve 6l in closed position.V 1

The conduit 7l, however, isplacedcoin-- munication With the conduit 45, through the space between the piston portions 7 3 and 74, and as the turbine'is still rotating in ahead direction, Vdue to its inertia, there is no prestherefore, moves the to Vtheastern section of the turbine.

bine in ahead direction, and then quickly accelerates it in asterndirection As Vthe tur bine attains a predeterniinedspeed in asterii direction, the pressure developed by the gear pump in the conduit acts on the piston 66 against the force of the spring 68 and shuts the valve 62.V 4

When high pressure steam is admittedto either section of the turbine, its pressure is reduced bef-ore it acts upon the l'oW pressure.

blading in the turbine. This may be .ac-

complished, as is already `known in ='the art,-eit lier by using the valves 6l and 62 as pressure reducing' valves or by special set of nozzles for this purpose.

During theperiod of reversing oi. there-1 left andthe links 91, and

lowverniost position and valve 72 The spring 68,v piston 66 to open thev valve 62, andhigh pressure steam isfa-dmitted- This steam quickly brakes the speed of the tur-f,

providing a' ciprocating engineV the flovvv of steam therethrough islimited by'the speed at which' thepistons move.. vv`Also, the rotor of the turbine has considerable inertia in the direction of itsrotation prior to reversal. Hence, the prompt' 'admission of 'highjpressure steam to the proper turbine sectionv serves to overcome rapidly the inertia ofthe turbine and to reverse it quickly.

" The apparatus is now maintained in astern operation by the action of vhigh pressure steam on the reciprocating engine, and the further expansion; thereof in the asternsectionv 21 of the 10W pressure turbine.

- 7 Assume, now, vthat it is desired again to reverse'and resume aheadoperation. The

`throttle valve 9 is closed,the reversing lever 34is moved to thek right to move the revers"-` ing mechanism 33 to ahead position and to raisethe pilot valve 72 tothe position shown 'in Fig. 2, andthe throttlevalve 9 is-'again` opened; -In its Vraised position, the'pilot so that the astern high pressure steam valve 62- remains shut Vas longas thepilot valvey is in' this position. v The conduit 69 orjthe ahead valve 6l is placedin communicationv Withthe conduit 44. 1 y

' yWhile the control mechanism is ,now set for ahead'rotation, theV inertia of the turbine causes it tofcontinue vto rotate in astern direction until the inertia of vastern rotation is overcome. While it is still rotating in astern direction, thev gearpump 43 .discharges fluid to'lthe conduit 45 and there is an absence of fluid pressure in the conduit 44, Which hasv placed in communication'vvith the con- The springr65, therefore, opens the been duit 69. aheadl 2 valve 6l.

`v,High pressure steamisf admitted to ahead section of the turbineV for overcoming the inertia of'astern rotation,and for ac*y celera'ting theA speed of the turbine in ahead? direction` as.v soon as; asternfrotation has ceased'. The direction of'o'perationofvthe gear pump 43 isV reversed simultaneously with the reversal of Vrotation of provides pressure in the conduit 44 Which increases with the speed ofaheadrotation of the turbine.

to 'close Vthev ahead valve 6l.' The turbine then operates solely on exhaust steam'from the reciprocating engine.

Should the auxiliary source ofitluid pres-'- sure transmitted through the conduit7 8 fail for any reason, the spring 84 Wou-ld niovethe places the conduit 71 in communica-- vtion withV the pressure supply conduit 7 8,

As theV turbine attains a pre- A determined desired speedin aheaddirection the fluid pressure developed V'in the conduit '44 bythe pump 43 attains a value sutlicient gol f lio piston 82 to close the throttlevalve 81, there- I byv shuttingoii all supply of high pressure steam to the turbine, Which would otherwise be permitted, due to the action of the springs 65 and 68.V X'

The speed which the-turbine must attainv before the ,supply of high pressure steam thereto is shut off, is determined by the adjustment ,ofV restricted orifice A54 in ahead direction and by the adjustment of the orifice 56 in astern direction. Either orificemay ceptibleof various changes and modifica-V tions,

Without departing from the spirit 'y thereof, and We desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

`What We claim is: i

vl. The combination With a prime mover capable of operation in opposite directions, of a control mechanism therefor comprising a control device adapted to be set for opera-- tion in either direction, and means operative, When the prime mover is operating in the direction for which the control device is set, to provide motive fluid admission in response to speed of the prime mover for operation insaid directionand, When it is operating in the opposite direction, to provide motive fluid admission independently of the speed for operation in the direction for Which the control device is set.Y Y Y 2. rlhe combination with a prime mover capable of operation in opposite directions and admissionvalve means for operation in each direction, of a control mechanism therefor comprising a control device adapted to beset for operation in either direction, means operative, When the prime mover is operating in the direction for which the control device is set, to provide speed responsive control of the admission valve means for operation in said direction and, When the opposite direction, to provide opening of said last-mentioned admission valve means independently of the speed, and means for closing the otherv admission valve means,

3. The combination with arpi'ime 4mover capable of operationv in opposite kdirections and admission valve means for operation in each direction, of a controlmechanism for said valve means ,comprising a control device adapted to be set for voperation in 4either direction, andfmeans responsive to the direction of rotation for closing the admission valve means providing operation in the direction for which thecontrol device is set upon attaining a predetermined speed in said it is operating indirection and for maintaining substantially` full opening of said valve at all speeds in the opposite direction of that for which the control mechanism is set.

4. The combination With a prime mover capable of operation in opposite directions and having an admission valve for operation in each direction, of a control mechanism therefor comprising means for controllingv valves comprising means responsive to speed of the turbine in ahead direction for control? Yling the admission valve of the ahead section and responsive to operation in` astern direction for maintaining said valve open inde# pendently of the speed, means responsive to speed of'the turbine in astern direction for controlling the admission valve of the astern section and responsive to operation in aheadv direction for maintaining said valve open independently of the speed, and means for selectively placing either valve under control of its respectiveco-ntrol .means and for effecting closing of the valve or valves not under such control.

6. The combination Witha fluid pressure turbine having an ahead and an astern sec'- tion and admission valvesfor the respective sections, of a control mechanism for said valves comprisingl means .providing fluid pressure of a value adapted to effect closing of the admission valves, a gear pump driven by the turbine at a speed proportional thereto and developing fluid pressure lvarying With the speed of the turbine, said pump having an opening through Whichfluid pressure developed by the pump is delivered when the turbine is voperating in ahead direction and a second opening through Which fluid pressure developed by the pump is delivered When the turbine is operating in astern direction, and means for selectively placing either admission valve under control of the corresponding fluid pressure Vdeveloped by the Vpump and the other valve under control of the first-mentioned fluid pressurefor effecting closing of 4'the valve, or placing both kvalves under control of the first-mentioned fluid pressure for effecting closing thereof.

7 The combination with a marine power plant embodying a reciprocating engine, reversing mechanism therefor, a low pressure turbine receiving partially expanded motive fluid therefrom and geared thereto, said turbine having anahead and an astern section,

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means for admitting high Apressure motive the admission valve of the section providing operation in said direction'.

8. The combination With a marine power plant embodying a reciprocating engine, re-y versing mechanism therefor, a low-pressure turbine receivingpartially expanded motive fluid therefrom and connected thereto, saidturbine liaving'an ahead and an astern section, means for admitting high pressure motive iiuid to at least one of said sections and an admission valve or valves for controlling the admission thereof to the "respective section or sections, of a control mechanism for said admission valve or Vvalves comprising means operative When the turbine is not operating at a predetermined speed in the di# rection for which the reversing mechanism is set to open the admission valve of the section providing operation in said direction.

9. The combination with a marine Vpower plant embodying a reciprocating engine having reversing mechanism, a low-pressure turbine connected to the engine and receiving motive fluid discharged therefrom, said turbine having'ahead and astern sections, means for supplying high pressure motive fluid to said sections and admission valves for controlling the admission thereof to the respective sections, of a control mechanism for said admission valves comprising means responsive to the operation ofthe turbine in ahead direction forcontrolling the admission valve of the ahead section, means responsive to the operation of the turbine in astern' direction for Vcontrolling the admission valve of the astern section, and meansV controlled by the reversing mechanism for preventing opening of either valve except when the reversing mechanism is set for operation in the corresponding direction. l

l0. The combination With a marine power plant embodying a reciprocating engine having reversing mechanism, a low-pressure turbine connected to the engine and receiving motive fluid discharged therefrom, said tur-V bine having ahead and astern sections, means for supplying high pressure motive fluid to said sections and admission valves for controlling tlie admission thereof to1 the respective sections, of a control mechanism for said admission valves comprising means responsive to the operation of the turbine in ahead direction for controlling the admission valve of the ahead section, means responsive to the operation of the turbine in lastern direction for controlling the admission valve of the astern section, and means controlled by haust passage leading Vahead section, a valve 1n the passage, a live steam passage for the astern section, a valve the reversing mechanism for preventing opening of either valve except when the reversing mechanism is set for operation in the corresponding direction.

11. The' combination With steam engine directly connected to a driven shaft and having reversing mechanismand a turbine connected to the .driven shaft and having ahead and asternse'ctions, of anV exin the last-named passage, means for biasing the live steam valve to open position, means for holding the live steam the reversing mechanism is set for ahead operation, means operative mechanism is set for astern operation' for lmoving the live steam valve inc losing direction in response toincrease speed of the turbine in astern direction, and means re# a reciprocating i from the yengine to the valve closedl Whilel When tl1e"reversing sponsive to operation ofthe reversing mecha-V nism from ahead position to astern position to close the yvalve inthe :exhaust passage leading to theahea'd section and to releaseV said holding meansand vice versa. V

l2. The combination with a reciprocating i steam engine directly connected to a driven shaft and having reversing mechanism and a turbine connected by z reduction to the driven shaft and having ahead'a'nd astern sections, of an exhaust passage leading from the engine to the ahead section, a valve in the passage, a live steam passage for the astern section, a valve in the last-named passage, a

spring forV opening the live steam valve,

`pressure-operated-means for closing the live 'steam valve,

means for supplying a first pressure 'to thefpressure-operated Vmeans When operating ahead, means-for developing a second pressure in response to the tur-y bine'astern speed, and means responsive to operation of the reversing mechanism from ahead to astern position to close the ahead section valve in the exhaust passage, yto re-` lease the iirst pressure, and to render the second pressure effective `to close the 'live steam valve upon, attainment of sufficient l asternspeed and responsive to operationof the reversing mechanism.y yfrom astern to ahead to apply said iirstpressure to the pressure-operated means andto open the exhaust passage valve. i 1

13. The combination with a lreciprocating steam engine directly connected to a driven shaft and having reversing mechanism and a turbine connected tothe vdriven shaft Aand having ahead and astern sections, of exhaust passages leading from the engine 'to lthe ahead and astern sections; valves in the .passages live steam passages connectedlto the ahead and astern sections; valves inthe live steam passages; means for biasing thev live steam valves open; vmeans for holding 4theI astern live steam valve closed; whenv the re-y Vversing mechanism isset for ahead operaahead to astern lposition to close the ahead exhaust valve, to open thev astern exhaust valve, to release the holding means 'with respect to the astern live steam valve and to render such means effective with respect to the ahead live steam valve, and to render thespeed responsive means effective to close the astern live steam valve upon attainment of sufficient astern speed, and vice versa.

14. A governing mechanism for control-l ling a .prime mover capable of operation in opposite directions, said mechanism being responsive to the speed and direction Yof rotation of the prime Vmover and including a gear pump having one outlet through Which fluid under pressure is delivered only when the prime mover isoperating in one direction and a second outlet through Which fluid under pressure is delivered only when the prime mover is operating in the opposite direction, a pressure-responsive element associated with each outlet and subjected to the fluid 'pressure delivered therethrough, means controlled by one of the pressure-responsive elements for controlling the prime mover for operation in one direction, and means controlled by the other pressure-responsive element for controlling the prime mover for operation in the opposite direction.

15. The combination With a prime mover capable of operation in opposite directions and admission valve means for operation in each direction, of a control mechanism for said valve means comprising acontrol device adapted to be set for operation in either direction, a gear pump driven by the prime mover, said pump having one opening through which fluid pressure provided by the pump is delivered When the "prime mover is operating in one direction anda second opening through which fluid pressure provided by the pump is delivered when the prime mover is operating in the lother direction, and means for opening the admission valve means providing motive fluid admission for rotation in the direction for which the control device is set when said gear pump is not discharging fluid through the opening corresponding to said direction. 16. The combination with a prime mover capableo'f operation in opposite directions and admission valvemeans for operation in each direction, of a control mechanism for said valve means comprising a' control de-v vice adapted to be set for operation in either direction, a gear pump driven by the prime prime mover, said pump having one opening through which fluid pressure providedby the pump is delivered when the prime mover is operating in one direction and a1 second opening through which fluid pressure prof videdby the pump is delivered When the prime mover is operating in the other direction, and means responsive te discharge of iuid through the opening o f the gear pump corresponding to the direction for which the control device is set for controlling, in response to the speed of the turbine, the admission valve means providing motive fluid admission for operation in said direction.

17. The combination with a prime mover capablev of operation in opposite directions and admission Vvalve means for operation in each direction, of a control mechanism for said valve'means comprising a control device adapted to be set for operation in either direction, a gear pump driven bythe prime mover, said pump having one opening through whichV fluid pressure provided by the pump is delivered When the prime mover 5 is operating in one direction and a second opening through which fluid pressure provided by the pump is delivered when the mover is operating in the other direction, and of fluid through the opening of the gear pump corresponding to the direction for which the control device isset for controlling, in response Ato the speed ofthe turbine, the admission valve means providingl motive fluid admission for operation in said direction .and for opening said admission valve means When there is no discharge through said opening.

In testimony whereof, vve'have hereunto Y subscribed our names this 17th day of May,

ANDREW B. REAVIS. f RUDOLPH J. EISINGER.

means responsive to discharge I VSO 

